Smart’s art draws elite to Perth

If the country’s business elite are suffering from a case of economic apprehension in a post financial crisis kind of world, the virus clearly never made it over to Perth. It was literally flowing Dom Perignon on Monday night as Perth’s business and political set celebrated the opening of an exhibition by one of the country’s most celebrated living artists,
Jeffrey Smart
.

The opening – which attracted everyone from federal Deputy Opposition Leader
Julie Bishop
to the mining entrepreneur who set a national record with the purchase of a $57.5 million house in 2009, Mineral Resources boss
Chris Ellison
– came about from an unusual joint venture between the Italy-based painter and wealthy Perth property developer
Nigel Satterley
. Smart was flown to Perth three years ago to have dinner with Seven West Media boss
Kerry Stokes
, Satterley and NAB chairman
Michael Chaney
, after which Smart agreed to hold an exhibition in Perth.

West Australian Premier
Colin Barnett
was there at the exhibition opening on Monday night, as was state Opposition Leader
Eric Ripper
.

There were also quite a few corporate advisers in attendance, including the head of Ernst &Young in WA,
Michael Anghie
. So was one of Perth’s top lawyers,
Martin Bennett
.
Mark Barnaba
of Azure Capital also turned up, as did WA Governor elect
Malcolm McCusker
. Stokes sent his apologies.

As the champagne celebrations turned into a three-course dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant, Satterley was seen pouring the red stuff from premium Margaret River wine producer Moss Wood late into the evening.

A couple of guests noted that Satterley seems to pour more wine into his guests’ glasses than he ever drinks himself, which might account for how he’s negotiated some very lucrative property deals in his time.